


A Bit of Colored Ribbon

by sbarmarj



Series: A War of Love [2]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: BAMF Maria Hill, Bechdel Test Pass, Daisy Johnson is also pretty badass, Gen, Steve is in over his head, Women Being Awesome
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-13
Updated: 2015-01-05
Packaged: 2017-12-23 08:30:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/924120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sbarmarj/pseuds/sbarmarj
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was suppose to be a quiet day of debriefings and sleep after a mission that went FUBAR. Of course it doesn't go that way at all, and Steve finds himself in the field with a new team, and Maria's voice in his ear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> "A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon." Napoleon Bonaparte
> 
> Sorry that it took me so long to get back to this story. I took an extended sojourn in another fandom, but I am back now. This story will probably be four chapters and I should be posting every 2-3 days. 
> 
> Needless to say I own nothing other than the computer I wrote this on.

Steve knows he should not be eavesdropping. 

He should finish his meal and shower the grime off for the first time in a week. Then he should go to his temporary bunk and sleep, hopefully without dreams.

He should be doing anything else other than listening to Maria Hill three tables over, tucked just into a corner; her back to the wall, and her fingers curled around a cup of coffee. Her seat has the best sightlines in the cafeteria, and the added advantage of being near two exits with cover to each. 

Of course she would chose that table, even if she is just drinking a cup of coffee and talking with another agent. In some ways Maria is extremely predictable. It is the ways that she surprises Steve that compel him to stay here and listen to her. 

Even if Steve couldn’t hear the conversation, he would think Maria looked unusually relaxed. Not that Steve is staring, or counting, but twice she has laughed loud enough that the few other people in the caf noticed. He thinks they are slyly watching because its not everyday that the Deputy Director lingers in the cafeteria over a cup of coffee talking to a friend. 

He is sure this will generate some gossip. He wonders if it will be about her having friends or because she laughed. Steve thinks it will be the latter, but knows people will remark on the former as well. 

Its not like he means to eavesdrop. He has super soldier hearing to match the super soldier everything else. Most of the time he only hears conversations he’d rather not. It was bad enough before, and now everyone is on their cellphone saying things in public he would never say in private, and they act like no one can hear. 

“You didn’t have to fly all the way here just to deliver your weekly briefing. Its not like video conferencing has gone out of style.” Even with his eyes trained on his sketchbook, he knows Maria is talking with a smile. 

“What’s the fun in that? I wanted to see how the repairs are going after your last email.” 

Based on their body language Steve thought they were friends who hadn’t seen each other for a while, and this confirms it. 

The agent continues, “The engineers annoy the scientists, who then demand design changes that piss off tactical, tactical bitches to Barton, who mentions it to Stark, who sends Fury a singing holographic telegram on the hour, every hour, and then Fury tells you to fix it. And, I think that is a direct quote. I can look up the email if you want?” The agent mimes reaching for Maria’s Starkpad. “Again, why would I miss this?”

“I might have been exaggerating slightly, at least about the telegram. I don’t understand how people live through home renovations. Its like the universe said, ‘Maria please accept this gift of an even more horrible situation. Oh, and here is a special form explaining empathy.’”

“The paperwork is from Coulson. He wouldn’t want you to forget him.” 

Maria smiles, but Steve knows it’s a smile of mourning and fondness, not happiness and annoyance. He may have only encountered Coulson at his most awkward, but it is clear to SHIELD he was far more than a geek who wore a suit. 

This is the most animated that Steve has ever seen Maria. During her conversation she has naturally flirted from emotion to emotion like a person does when they feel safe and relaxed. For the last fifteen minutes she has not seemed like the reserved soldier she is when dealing with the Avengers. She is far more comfortable here in her uniform, on the ship that she commands, than the only time he has seen her in civies and almost off duty.

Steve tries not to think about that evening but its impossible not to wonder what would have happened if Maria hadn’t spilled a glass of champagne on the Chinese diplomat that tried to shake Steve’s hand. He could tell Maria’s clumsiness was feigned, but he still didn’t know why she did it or what she was said to the diplomat in Chinese as she carefully lead him away from Steve. Since that evening he has only seen her on the carrier, or at briefings and she has been coolly distant.

He hadn’t wanted to go to Tony’s display of wealth and power. While he can do a lot of things, saying no to Pepper Potts just isn’t one of them, so when she asked he went in the clothes she provided. He let Pepper introduce him to a few, clearly rich and important people, but mostly he just milled around the edges feeling like an interloper. 

He was planning a polite escape when he saw Maria wearing a dress so deep purple it made him think of the darkest wine he drank in France. It was looser than her uniform, but it clung to her breasts in a far more feminine way. The desire to drink her in hit him so unexpectedly he cracked the stem of the fragile crystal champagne flute he had been clutching. Even the shards of glass in his fingers couldn’t distract him from her alluring intensity. 

Of course, Pepper noticed, and even though the cuts took mere moments to heal she handed him a linen napkin and gave him a comforting pat on his back. Her kindness was appreciated if unnecessary. His fingers stopped bleeding before she handed him the cloth but it gave him something visceral to focus on instead of imaging how it would feel to let Maria kiss his hurts. 

Steve is pretty sure Pepper’s super-power to is to know everything, but unlike Tony she tempers it with discretion. She noticed that he did not relax even after his fingers healed and that he could not take his attention off the man Maria was speaking to. It was easier to stare at him then to look at Maria and imagine something that would never be. 

It was Pepper who told him to go over and talk to Maria. In hindsight it must have been clear to Pepper that Maria was ready to decimate the man talking at her. All Steve noticed was that he looked vaguely like Thor’s brother who Darcy told him was yummy. Her exact words were, “Yummy, psychopathic and in need of a hug, but totally yummy.”

Steve had to ask Clint to explain what she meant. Once he understood what Darce was saying he was really happy he asked Clint and not Tony to explain. 

When he approached her, he hadn’t expected her to respond to him with the simpering air she affected as soon as he said her name. Somehow he was able to respond appropriately and play along with her. He only wished that Natasha had seen him manage the simple subterfuge since he had yet to accomplish anything like it in his lessons with her. On the other hand, Natasha would have probably correctly assumed that his success was because he did not need to feign his attraction to Maria. 

Maria’s laughter pulls him out of his musings, which is probably just as well. He has replayed that evening a million times in his head already and he is no closer to understanding what it means then he was during their actual conversation. 

“Speaking of presents…” the other agent interrupts Maria’s laughter.

“Please tell me that you did not get me anything.” Its amazing to Steve how rapidly Maria can shift from relaxed to on guard. 

“Have a little more faith in me. But, I wanted to have a cup of coffee with you and give you a hug today. Not because I am wishing you a happy birthday, I wouldn’t do that, but because its what friends do.”

Steve can’t help looking at Maria now. No one else would have heard the agent, and the way that she positioned herself when speaking, no one could read her lips. Steve is certain whoever this woman is, she is as formidable as Maria. She certainly isn’t backing down from the command stare Maria is giving her. And, based on the little that Maria told Steve about her birth and her mother, he is willing to guess that today is not a good day.

Steve thinks that Maria looks like she wants to reject the kindness or deny the need for a friend. But, Maria is too strong to pretend she is not human. Its one of the things Steve finds so incredible about her.

“Thank you, Daisy. You aren’t the only one. Aunt Dorie and Uncle Mike land in a few hours and Rye flew in last night. Miguel is here for the series with the Yankees.”

“That’s nice. I hope that you don’t plan on spending their whole visit hiding up here.”

“Barring an alien attack or a mad scientist on a rampage, I am suppose to be off duty as of 16:00 today for a full seventy-two hours. If you want to stay the night, you are welcome to come to dinner with us after the game.”

“As much as I love being interrogated by your aunt, I need to get back to China. Since you pulled Sitwell back here to take over Coulson’s babysitting duties, twenty-four hours seems to be the longest I can get a way without a minor disaster developing.”

“The joys of being a division head.” 

“Admit it you miss China. Say the word and the job is yours again.”

“I miss the noodles.”

“Totally the best job perk.”

“The only job perk, if I remember correctly.”

“Yeah, and on that note, I really should actually brief Fury. You aren’t the entire reason I decided to come. What was it that Napoleon said about China?”

Both women are clearly all business now. Steve misses having a friendship like that. He and Bucky did the same thing in the field. They could go from teasing each other about dames to business instantly and without words. 

“‘Let her sleep. When she wakes she will move mountains.’ Anything that makes you think China is waking?”

Daisy shrugs her shoulders, “Just a feeling. I know what it takes to move mountains.”

“That’s really not reassuring.”

“I know.”

Daisy seems to have the final word because both women get up and deposit their mugs at the window for dirty dishes. On their way out Maria spares him a glance and a nod. 

He wonders if she knows he was eavesdropping.


	2. Chapter 2

Its not a carrier wide alarm that wakes Steve. 

Clint is still snoring in the bunk below him, not having heard the emergency page for Deputy Director Hill. For the second time that day, Steve curses his super hearing. A glance at his pad confirms his internal clock’s estimate that he slept for less than two hours. 

He seriously considers rolling over and going back to sleep. If they need him they will wake him, but he can’t convince himself to close his eyes and ignore the alarm. 

Steve silently gets dressed and leaves Clint sleeping. He pulled the same hours as Steve for the last six days and didn’t have the advantage of serum. Steve’s not really sure how Clint was able to stay awake for forty-two hours straight, make the impossible shot and still help them on the ground when everything went FUBAR. 

Steve is sure that if Clint could hear the alarm he would head to the bridge with Steve, but he can’t hear the alarm and Steve’s not wake him up to tell him about it. 

Even with the half repaired damage, and the construction crews it doesn’t take Steve long to make it to bridge. He memorized the carrier’s layout after Loki’ attack just in case he ever needed to fight off another hostile boarding. 

“Mr. Gartelle, status report. Hello, Captain.” Maria is at the helm of the bridge. Steve joins Daisy off to the side, out of the way of the bridge officers. 

As soon as Maria calls him out, the agents who hadn’t noticed him enter sit a little straighter, but they don’t glance in his direction.

“Uh, it seems that three alarms have been tripped at one of the cold storage units at Base Forty Two.”

“Details, Gartelle.” Maria’s voice drips with disapproval at her time being wasted. 

Steve almost feels sorry for Gartelle, who must be the agent in charge.

“The base’s eastern perimeter was breached approximately twelve minutes ago at 13:52. The computer registered it as wildlife, and confirmed the incursion as being consistent with a moose.”

“Video confirmation?”

“No, just motion and heat sensor readings.”

“Continue.”

“Three minutes later the eastern perimeter was breached again. It was also consistent with a moose. At 13:59 Unit F, which I have highlighted on the map registered an unknown heat signature inside. Its security system did not register any attempt to open the warehouse’s doors.” 

Steve directs his attention to the map that is being projected in 3-D. Based on the longitude and latitude at the sides of the projection, Base Forty-Two is somewhere in Northern Ontario. It looked extremely remote.

“How far is it from the perimeter to Unit F?” Steve thinks Maria knows the answer, but wants the agent to confirm her suspicion.

“Approximately 5 kilometers.”

“Seems pretty fast for a moose. Continue.”

“At 14:00 the internal alarm at Warehouse F was triggered and recorded four unknown heat signitures consistent with humans. At 14:01 we lost all contact with Warehouse F’s computers. The other warehouse systems at Base Forty-Two are functioning properly.”

“Reynolds, get those feeds back up.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Gartelle, do we have people on the ground?”

“No. Normally Base Forty-Two is staffed with a small contingent-”

Maria interrupts him. “But, we pulled them because of recent losses, and are relying on electronic monitoring and the automated guard system.”

“Yes.”

Steve is pretty sure that Maria is calling someone an idiot in her head right now, but SHEILD has been dangerously short staffed since the Chitauri invasion. Its why he has been assisting their missions even though Steve trust Fury about as far as he can throw the helicarrier, and the World Security Council even less.

Maria quickly glances at the worldwide map showing SHIELD’s current deployments to confirm what she already must know. The helicarrier and the NYC branch office are the closest available SHIELD agents. 

“How long for a team to reach the base from our current location?” 

“Thirty-Six minutes in the air.”

“Get Peterfruend in a helijet now. I want him ready to take off in ten minutes. Tell him he can make it in under thirty if he keeps the engines in the red.

Gartelle nods, already following Maria’s orders before she finishes speaking.

“Neilson, I want a tactical team in that jet yesterday.”

“Ma’am, uh, currently we don’t-”

“I am aware of the dearth of tactical teams, whichever has been on duty the least in the last forty-eight hours, and pull anyone who has actually served at Base Forty-Two.”

Steve is impressed by how awful the timing of this incident is for SHIELD. Its hard to believe its an accident. Maria seems to have reached the same conclusion. 

Neilson quickly checks her computer screen.

“Team Echo. They finished their debriefs eight hours ago. No one is available who has served at Base Forty-Two ”

“Make it happen.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Neilson quickly turn back to her computer and reaches for the intercom by her monitor to start waking people up.

Watching Maria command is like watching a virtuoso conductor lead the greatest symphony in the world. 

“Daise, how hard is it to screw with the perimeter motion detectors? Their Stark’s design.”

“I can think of half a dozen ways with whats available at a RadioShack, and if they have anyone like me it only gets easier.”

“If you can review the data and make any educated guesses about the size of the incursion-”

“Why don’t I just go? Plus, I have been to Base Forty-Two. Well once, seven years ago…”

“Done. Morrow, get Division Director Johnson outfitted with full tactical gear and to the flight deck.” Maria shifts her attention back to Daisy, “Your tactical qualifications are up to date?”

“Does the Pope wear white?”

Maria doesn’t spare the time to laugh, she just moves on to her next order of business. Daisy follows Agent Morrow, easily keeping pace with his hurried jog even though she is a head shorter. 

“Fuentes, I want a full inventory…yes Captain?”

Steve had barely opened his mouth and certainly hadn’t made a sound.

“I’ll go too.”

Maria carefully studies his face. She is probably adding up the hours of sleep that he has gotten in the last six days and seems to be utterly unimpressed with the total that she comes too. But, she also meets his eyes and seems to be reassured. 

“Okay. Neilson, flight deck and ETD?

“Deck Four. Seven minutes til take off.”

“Captain, I am not holding that jet for you.”

“Understood.” 

Steve is running off the bridge when he answers, which is just as well because Maria has already moved on. 

“Fuentes, an inventory of Warehouse F please and the name of whoever decided to pull all personnel from the base. Greene, get me comms with the tactical team once they are in the air. Reynolds why aren’t the feeds back up…”

Steve loses the sound of Maria’s voice as he sprints to get into his uniform and grab his shield. He is almost out the door when he grabs his StarkPad and the paper reports he needs to complete, maybe he will have time on the ride back.

Clint’s rhythmic snoring does not change during the eight-nine seconds it takes to Steve to get in and out of their bunk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like comments and kudos like cookie monster likes cookies!
> 
> Thanks for reading.


	3. Chapter 3

Steve makes it to the flight deck with a minute to spare. Steve can see the pilot and ground crew are finishing up their pre-flight check list and the tactical team is already in the main cabin of a quinjet, buckling themselves in and checking their weapons. Steve recognizes most of them, including the CO, who is possibly the only person Steve as ever seen who is Natasha’s equal with a knife. They were also one of the teams that on his last mission and he knows how tired they are since they kept up with him in the forest and then hunkered down while they waited for the target. 

“Nice of you to join us Captain.”

“Missed you too, Commander Younger.” Young’s laugh was ironic at best

Steve takes one of the open seats when he notices Division Director Johnson climbing into the jet. He stops to offer her a hand, though it seems like she doesn’t really need it. She still takes it and laughs at how easily he lifts her up and into the cabin. He once asked Darcy why she let him open doors and carry her bags, when Jane refused to let Thor do the same. According to Darcy, she was more third-wave and Jane was classic second-wave. Steve still doesn’t know what Darcy meant, but Steve thinks Division Director Johnson has a similar mind set.

“Mitch, remind me of this next time I bitch about chivalry being dead.”

Younger laughs and waves Daisy over to the seat next to him. “Sure you remember how to do this Johnson? You’ve been riding a desk-”

“I can still wipe the floor with your beautiful black ass, Younger.”

“You think my ass is beautiful?”

“Don’t let it go to your head.” 

Steve laughs with the rest of the team as he takes the last open seat. He might not have ever been in combat with Daisy but the other guys seem relieved to have her along. 

“Ready to go?” Younger nods to the pilot. The hatch door closes and Steve can feel the engine kicking up. 

The team and Steve spend the plane ride going over the map of the base and the blue prints for the warehouse. Younger and Johnson do most of the talking and decide on a simple plan that Maria approves. Steve doesn’t know the team or the base, and knows he would only slow things down if he tried to contribute. On this mission he is a soldier and Younger is the commander. Maria shares the little intelligence they have been able to collect as it becomes available.

“Okay, we are going to set down here,” Younger is reviewing the final plan. Steve has already committed it to memory, as well as the regions topographical map, the base diagram, and the warehouse plans. 

Younger glances up to confirm that they are all listening. “Good. As far as we know they are still in the Warehouse trying to find what they came for. Remember there are at least six hostiles, most likely armed, potentially with more than guns so be prepared. If it gets funky, let the Captain and Johnson do their thing.”

Steve is to provide Johnson with cover while she does her thing. He’s not actually sure what that thing is though, or why she will be helping him with any funky stuff. Or what Younger means by funky stuff. 

Its not clear to Steve what Johnson is capable of doing simply by looking at her. She is a slight woman and her body slopes with curves, though she carries herself like a soldier. Her dark hair is as short as the guys on the tactical team. Steve thinks it’s for convenience’s sake, but its hard to miss how it heightens her cheekbones and the strong line of her jaw. When they first took off she efficiently and competently checked her weapons and rearranged the set up of her borrowed tactical suit. 

Steve must have studied her more intently then he intended because she meets his eyes and cocks her lips in challenge. She doesn’t seem particularly intimidated by him. 

“You have no idea what I do, do you?” she speaks in a bare whisper, trusting that he will hear it. 

“Uh, no, ma’am.”

“Don’t ever ma’am me again, Steve.” Her tone is aggressive enough to make him swallow with nerves.

“You’ve been briefed on mutants?”

He nods. As weird as Banner and Thor are Steve finds it disconcerting that the human race took huge evolutionary leaps while he was frozen. 

“You’re a mutant?”

“Close enough for government work. I make molecules vibrate.” Steve is baffled. Tony would understand this so much better, and Bruce would be able to follow her too. “It means mostly I cause earthquakes, but I can do landslides, sink holes, building demolition, and sometimes more subtle stuff. A genetic gift from my supervillain father.”

Her words are flippant, but her tone has an edge to it that Steve recognizes and he knows better than to respond to the daddy issues. She has nothing on Tony. 

“Okay. Let me know what you need me to do to help.” 

Daisy seems surprised that he doesn’t have anything else to say, but she nods and returns her attention to Younger who is reviewing the base’s security features. 

Steve hears a faint clicking in his ear signaling a channel change on his comm. 

“Steve?” It’s Maria, and if she is using his first name it must be a private channel. 

“Yes?” He speaks as quietly as he can, but he doesn’t use her first name in case any of the team can hear him. 

“Daisy can handle herself in a fight, but if she needs to use her powers, particularly in multiple locations, she will lose focus on her physical surroundings and it is harder for her to defend against a physical attack. The vibrations don’t effect her, and she should be able to shield you from the worst of it, but if she loses control or needs to shift her focus you are the most likely not to be hurt and still be able to protect her.”

Maria’s tone is far more personal than Steve expected. She almost sounds worried about him and about Daisy. 

“I am also going to have a personal comms channel for the two of you and command. If it gets crazy its better to cut down on the things that can distract her. Are you comfortable with following my direction and not the team’s?

Steve doesn’t hesitate to answer. “Yes. And thanks, for the info.” 

He has heard a lot about Maria Hill since the Chitauri invasion. Most of its about how she is a rule following hardass, but every single commenter has also called her scarily competent. All of the tactical agents he has worked with visibly relax when they find out that Hill is running an op. So far he has to agree with them. He might find her personally unsettling, but she is an excellent commander. 

“Good luck, Steve. Over and out.” 

His comm clicks back to the team wide channel before he can thank her for the luck. 

Younger is finishing up now. “When we touch down, Hill has operational control. We don’t know what type of perimeter or lookouts they have so be careful and be alert. Anything, else?” No one says anything. “Well this has the potential to be an epic cluster fuck so do your jobs and do them well.”

Steve has to agree with Younger’s summation of the situation. He hates these last minute, by the seat of your pants missions. If this doesn’t blow up in their faces it will be because whoever broke into the base wasn’t expecting a tactical response. 

“Echo Command, here. Your ETA is ninety seconds out. Final comms check.” Maria’s voice is strong, secure, and surprisingly reassuring in Steve’s ear. 

When it is his turn he checks in, “Echo Ten, final comms check. Over and out.”

“Reading you strong and clear there Echo Ten. Echo Nine and Echo Ten, comms check on your private channel.” Steve can hear the faint click that signals the channel switch. 

Daisy and Maria’s voices come through just as clear on this channel as on the team wide one. By the time Maria’s confirmed all their comms, Steven can count the needles on the pine trees as they are landing. 

Steve immediately looks for sentries but doesn’t see anyone on the lookout. Younger thinks that its probably one team, with limited personnel so any lookouts would be guarding their way out of the warehouse and the base. Given the approach Maria mapped out for them their quinjet should not have been seen by the intruders who probably used a truck, or all-terrian vehichle that Steve can’t see because of the warehouse. The first part of the plan is to arrive unannounced and so far that seems to be the case. 

As soon as the ground is close enough to jump, Echo team clears out of the quinjet in perfect textbook formation. Steve knows the guys are tired, and he admires the training and resolve they are showing right now. The snipers quickly break off and head for their vantage points. Two of the men move in tandem to scout and secure the perimeter of the warehouse. Another team of two breaks off to secure the north exit, while the other two, Daisy, and Steve head toward the main entrance at the south end of the building. Each person is alert and scanning for signs of the intruders. 

Steve’s attention narrows to the present moment like it always does when battle is imminent, and at the same time his senses widen farther than is possible for anyone else. He can hear the geese flying high above, his team falling into place, and whoever broke in rifling through the warehouse looking for whatever brought them here. 

He hears something else too. A low humming, a subtle rhythmic buzzing that he knows he should recognize but he can’t remember from where. He racks his brain as he takes his position at point, and waits for the command to move in. He wills his muscles to relax and his mind to forget about the unknown noise—

“Stop!”


	4. Chapter 4

“Stop!” He doesn’t say it loudly, no need to alert the enemy, but he puts the full force of command behind it. The rest of the team stills and Maria immediately orders the agents who can’t hear him to hold their position.

“Echo Ten, explain.”

“There is something on the other side of the door and it sounds like Chitauri technology. Also there are people in the northeast corner.” 

“Can you be more specific?”

“I can hear a low buzzing, like something is vibrating, or the way electricity sounds running through a wire, but more like the weapons that the Chitauri foot soldiers were carrying in New York.” He doesn’t have anything else to offer, and even without his training to report concisely, its against his nature to embellish. 

Maria doesn’t ask him to explain anymore, “Echo Nine, did you catch that bit about vibration?” 

Daisy had mentioned being able to make things vibrate earlier, but Steve isn’t sure that it means that she can detect something like this. Maria seems to have a pretty good grasp on Daisy’s skills. She barely pauses before she answers Maria’s question. 

“He’s right there is something vibrating on the other side and at the other entrances too. I can’t tell what it is, but I can feel molecules in the air being pushed by it. I can push the air back on it?”

Maria doesn’t hesitate, “Do it. Gently, at the south entrance only, no reason to ring the doorbell.”

Steve doesn’t see anything happen, and Johnson’s stance doesn’t change, but he can hear something upsetting the buzzing’s rhythm that is coming from the door near them. Now there is a new pinging, like something is bouncing off of whatever made the buzzing. He’s not sure if it’s the air being pushed back on it or something else entirely so he waits for Johnson to report what is happening. The other soldiers hold steady, their practice and training keeping their adrenaline in check. They can’t hear what is happening on the other side of the door and are relying on Steve and Daisy to keep them informed. Steve is sure they dislike standing out here in the open with no idea of who or where the enemy is as much as he does. 

“Sweet baby Jesus doing body-shots in a striper joint!” Steve doesn’t exactly blush at Daisy’s very quiet exclamation, but he is impressed by her creativity. “They are fucking explosive tripwires, except the tripwire is a Chituari force field. Anything that touches it gets fried. The Captain just saved our beautiful asses.”

“All teams hold!” The team responds immediately to Maria’s command, “Johnson, can you disable it or bypass it?”

“Possibly bypass one, but that’s all I’ll be good for.” Steve sees that Daisy’s taking more frequent and shallower breaths, and he can hear that her heart rate has risen from the exertion of doing whatever it is that she does. 

“Roger that. Echo team, scrub the mission op. New plan: Echo One and Echo Two: find new vantage points to cover the north exit.” Steve can hear the snipers start to move out of their nests and to their new locations. 

Echo Three, Echo Four: find cover near the north exit and be prepared to moved on my command. Echo Five, Six: proceed to the south entrance. Echo Seven and Echo Eight: once the others are in position, Echo Nine will bring down the south force field and you will flush out the hostiles. Push them to the north entrance.” Steve admires the simple elegance of Maria’s plan. They’ll push the hostiles towards their own force field. Either their own weapon will trap them or they will have to bring it down and get picked off by the team waiting there right outside the door. 

“Echo Ten: hold the south entrance and cover Echo Nine. Tell me when you are in position.” 

As soon as Maria stops talking each team member confirms they are now in position. Steve reminds himself to breath while he waits for Maria’s command to start. Steve loves this feeling—that he is about to erupt. He can understand why Clint stands on the edge of high rises when the lingering remains of Loki’s compulsion threaten to pull Clint down into a prison of his own regret. It’s impossible to feel anything other in than in total control of yourself when harnessing adrenaline and fear that wants to make your body explode in movement, action, anything that will bleed the energy off. Steve spent his life until the serum without any control of his body. It got sick, it couldn’t breath, it wouldn’t grow. Now his body is a tool he wields like a master craftsman. 

“Echo Nine, are you ready?” This entire plan hinges on Daisy’s ability to shield them from the force field, and Steve thinks that might be harder than Daisy wants them to realize. He isn’t sure what he will do if she can’t keep the force field down, but he knows that it will probably fall to him as the super soldier to figure something out. 

“Ready on your command.” Daisy is valiantly trying to control her breathing and to speak normally but Steve is pretty sure that Maria doesn’t need his enhanced senses to hear the stress in her voice. 

“Go Echo Nine.” 

Steve hears the force field’s muted vibration stop as soon as Maria speaks, but she pauses for to Daisy confirm that the force field is down before she tells the rest of the team to move in. One of the men carefully unlocks the door, while the other three direct their weapons at the soon to be open door. Steve hangs back so he can cover Daisy who is no longer alert to what is happening around her. Their team is so small, so Steve also makes sure that no one approaches them from behind. 

As soon as the door is open the tactical team enter with their weapons ready and their attention on edge. Steve shifts to standing in the doorway and loses sight of his team as they proceed through the warehouse’s aisles. Steve never did find out what is stored here, but instead of shelves and crates like that movie he watched with Darcy last week, this warehouse is filled with row after row of what looks like high tech refrigeration units. Steve stops himself from shuddering. He does not like the idea of preserving anything on ice, and many of the units look big enough to hold people. 

Instead of dwelling on what could be inside the warehouse, Steve concentrates on his surroundings. He fights the urge to try and hear what is happening at the north door—its not his fight…yet. 

As soon as Steve thinks that he hears the first rounds fired.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Please let me know if you liked it, or if you think that I can improve the story in any way.


End file.
